Book Review: When Treating All Kids the Same Is the Real Problem

When Treating All Kids the Same Is the Real Problem: Educational Leadership and 21st Century Dilemma of Difference

Kendra Johnson, PhD, and Lisa Williams, PhD

Reviewed by Claudia Morrell, NAPE Consultant

This book provides a new resource for school leaders to reconsider the current model of equal treatment of all students.  That premise, while well intentioned, has not served our students well and has led to a widening achievement gap in many subject areas.  The book uses the “dilemma of difference,” a term coined by Harvard Law School Dean Martha Minnow to determine the pros and cons of implementing education using standardized norms or using instead a model that allows for the differences of a pluralistic society to be supported in classrooms. Metaphorically, this calls into question the assumption that the United States is a large “melting pot.”  Are all individual and cultural differences erased over time as we become true Americans, or do we remain more of a “garden salad” where individual and cultural differences remain distinct and each added culture is valued for its unique contribution to the whole?  Johnson and Williams argue for the latter and suggest that these social and cultural differences play out in schools and classrooms across the United States.

The challenge for school leaders is to consider these students’ differences in instructional decisions.  A data-driven, student-centered framework for achieving educational equity requires that leaders identify achievement gaps, consider the learners, and pursue high standards for all. The goal then is to create educational equity by learning and applying the knowledge and resources needed for the unique needs of each child and setting a high bar for all students.  In other words, leaders must create an equitable learning environment for the lowest to the highest performing students to achieve equally high performance outcomes for all students.

The authors patiently and carefully outline both the challenges and requirements for shifting school practices to achieve educational equity.  Step by step, the reader understands the four “principled practices” that are required before each child can expect to receive the high-quality education he or she deserves.  The book is based on work from personal experience and strong data-driven outcomes.  Johnson and Williams provide a road map for principals and other school leaders to rethink how education is currently offered in their institutions and what changes are needed to ensure high academic outcomes for each student.

This book is easy to read, includes materials that principals can take into their schools today, and leaves the reader with a recognition of what is needed, what can work, and how we can transform schools and classrooms given the will, accountability, and sustained practice. I highly recommend the read no matter your role if you are interested in building an equitable education for every student.

Ordering Information